Sad to say goodbye Iceland

Last days in Iceland

Well my trip around Iceland is rapidly coming to an end and I will be sorry to leave as it is a unique land worth exploring. The weather fluctuates more than Melbourne and you need to be prepared for all conditions in one day. We spend a lot of time on the mini bus with many stops along the way each day, sometimes to use conveniences, for snacks and drinks and meals and for sightseeing, we see at least 2 impossibly named waterfalls a day and many more smaller ones which cascade down the mountains fuelled by the melting glaciers. We are now following the coast and it is beautiful. We saw the glacier where Journey to the centre of the earth is meant to begin in the famous Jules Verne novel, some small fishing villages, and walked along senic coastal paths. We stay in small out of the way farm stay guesthouses which hold you to ransom regarding dinner, there is either an all u can eat buffet for anywhere between $45 - $65 and no other choice or a set meal from about $40 for one course, and usually there is nothing else around for miles. There is lots of seafood and lamb but there have been offerings of  pork, chicken, horse and whale! 

The daytime temperatures vary from 3 degrees to 15 degrees, so layers is the sensible way to go. I have been swamped by waves, stepped in muddy puddles and slipped on slippery slopes, so am in desperate need of a laundrymat before I move on to Sweden. Since it is daylight constantly, I tend to go off for a walk after dinner for a little me time, and arrive back in broad daylight around 10.30pm trudging along the road or on horse trails, and there are lots of Icelandic horses in the green paddocks which are very friendly and curious and attention seekers. Many parts remind me of Scotland, Switzerland and The Galapagos and Andes in South America. it is rugged and beautiful and attracting more tourists every year.

Back in Rekyjavic and I am sad to say goodbye, but this morning I had a private snorkle in Silfra Fjord, where the tectonic plates split apart the USA and Europe continents, and if my arms were longer could touch both continents at once. I had a thermal drysuit and full diving wetsuit which was very uncomfortable to firstly get on, and then to wear, and the water temp was a cool 2 degrees C, but i think i got some good pix but had mittens on which were hard to work the camera with! The reason I did it on my own with a lovely instructor was that they made a mistake with my booking as 40 kids from the UK were booked in for the morning, but i had no other time to do it, so they kindly took me out on my own, and it was beautiful! The crystal clear waters are filtered by the surrounding lava and can take 30 to 100 years to arrive at the fjord from the glaciers and so it is unpolluted and pure, and i drank some along the way.

Iceland is beautiful and I recommend it highly before the tourists all discover that it is a great place to visit, tourism is their growth industry and I know why! It is full of Viking stories and myths, lovely scenery, cool cafes and towns, english speakers and is alive and active! i have loved my short adventure and want to come back again!